Magneto-electric dumb-bell.



PATENTED DEC. 10, 1907.

J. MOORES. MAGNBTO ELECTRIC DUMB BELL.

APPLICATION FILED JUHE12. 1906.

JAMES MOORES, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

MAGNETO-ELECTRIC DUMB-BELL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1907.

Application filed June 12, 1906. Serial No. 321.326.

T 0 all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, JAMES Moonns, a subl ject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented a new and useful Magneto-Electric Dumb-Bell, of which the following is a specification.

These improvements relate to dumb-bells or to a dumb-bell which, when in use, may be caused to give an electrical shock as desired to the user, the necessary current being generated independently of the movement of such dumb-bell or dumb-bells.

.T he improved dumb-bell contains a magneto generator of electricity which is operated when desired from or by clockwork which is also contained within the dumbbell. The generator may be situated at one end of the dumb-bell and the clockwork at the other end, the clockwork and the arma ture of the generator being connected by a shaft running through the handle part of the dumb-bell, and this shaft may be fitted with a retarding or velocity regulating device to give a constant speed When the magneto armature is allowed to rotate and consequently a regular current. Such a retarding device may consist of spring mounted balls or weights so mounted upon the shaft that as the latter rotates the balls move outwards under centrifugal force and rub against the interior of the handle of the dumb-bell and act as a brake.

The armature is provided with a collector and a double brush and contact breaker, and one pole is led to the conducting casing of the dumb-bell. The other is insulated and is connected by an insulated wire which passes out of the dumb-bell and is connected to the metal casing of another dumb-bell which does not contain a generator or the like and which is suitably weighted. The tWo dumb-bells described form a p air for use.

When the clockwork in the active dumb bell is wound up, the magneto armature does not rotate until it. or the clockwork is re leased by pressure exerted by the user upon a suitable key or lever on the dumb-bell and the magneto armature is stopped when the key is released.

When the clockwork is wound up and one bell is taken in each hand and the magneto armature is permitted to rotate an alternat ing current is generated which intermittently passes from one pole of the armature through the flexible wire connecting the two dumb-bells and then through the body of the user back to the bell in the other hand and returns to the armature.

The key can be released or restored at any desired time or at any point of the movement or exercise being performed so that the maximum amount of benefit may be obtained.

The magnet of the magnetomay be of the horse shoe type and be conveniently disposed within one head or end. of the dumb-bell at right angles to the shaft which transmits power from the clockwork.

A movable magnetic keeper is preferably combined with or is placed near to the poles of the magnet so that by its adjustment the intensity of the magnetic fluid may be varied.

The accompanying drawings illustrate in detail the construction of the active or generator dumb-bell and also show it in connection with another inactive bell to form a pair so that the electric circuit can be completed through the arms and body of the user of the pair of dumb-bells.

Figure 1 illustrates the generator dumbbell in vertical section. Fig. 2 is a section along the line a b of Fig. 1 and illustrates the releasing and stopping device. Fig. 3 is a section along the line a d of Fig. 1 and shows the retarding or speed controlling device. Fig. 1 Shows a view of the generator end of the dumb-bell with the cover removed. Fig. 5 shows a view of the clockwork end of the dumb-bell with the cover removed. Fig. 6 shows a view to a smaller scale of the active dumb-bell with an inactive one to form a )air.

I Referring to the drawings, A is a metallic or electricity conducting casing of a hollow dumb-bell. Contained within one end of this dumb-bell is a magneto electricity generator B, the armature of which C is mounted on one end of a shaft D which is, when desired, rotated by the clockwork E disposed in the other end of the dumb-bell casing. F

is the magnet of the magneto. One end of the armature coil is coimected directly to the shaft and thus through the bearings or the like to the metallic casing of the dumb bell. The other end is connected to the insulated ring collector G which is mounted upon and so as to rotate with the shaft. H 1s a metallic approximately rectangular contact breaker mounted on the end of the shaft and in electrical contact therewith.

J is a two-armed current collector one arm bell L contains no clockwork or magneto and is suitably weighted.

The speed .regulatingor retarding device shown in Figs. 1 and 3 consists of spring mounted movable weights, M, somewhat after the fashion of a centrifugal governor, secured to that part of the shaft D which passes through the handle of the bell A. As the shaft rotates these weights fly out and rub against and exert a braking action on the interior of the handle. If desired however any other form of retarding device may be employed, or, in some cases, such a device may be dispensed with altogether. Also mounted upon the shaft D is a drum N the periphery of which is adapted to be pressed upon by the end of a spring controlled arm or lever O the active end of which passes through a suitable opening in the casing.

With the contacts arranged as illustrated and as described the alternating current is alternately short circuited as the contact breaker comes into contact with the upper arm of the contact J and directed through the wire K, the other bell and the body of the user, back to the generator bell as the contact breaker leaves the arm.

P is a movable magnetic keeper which may be moved upon or away from the magnet poles by means of the screwQ as desired, and by this keeper and its position the intensity of the magnetic field and the conseq uent electric current may be varied as desired.

For use the generator bell is taken in one hand with the clock work wound up and the connected inactive bell L in the other. At intervals the user presses upon the spring end of the key or lever O and raises the detaining end of the lever from the drum N. As often as this occurs the armature is rotated by the clockwork and an intermittent current flows through the users arms and body until the key is released and its end falls upon and stops the disk N and shaft D. The moment at which the current shall flow can thus be absolutel timed.

Other methods 0 collecting and transmitting the current than that described may be employed. For example, the current breaker may be dispensed with and the current be simply led from the insulating ring to the flexible wire, the alternating current produced giving the desired shocks. Or a continuous current may be produced and intermittently' transmitted.

The clockwork is wound up when desired by a suitable key fitting on the stem or shaft R.

The clockwork can be released and stopped as desired by other forms of devices than the lever and disk shown and illustrated.

. The dumb-bells may have other forms than those shown and may even cease to have the distinctive shape of a dumb-bell but for convenience they are herein referred to as dumb-bells.

I claim:

1. In a magneto electric dumb bell, a shaft running axially through the handle of the dumb bell, a spring motor at one end of the bell and arranged to drive said shaft, a magneto generator at the other end of the bell and having its armature directly connected to said shaft, a clutch, and alever projecting through the handle of the bell and operating said clutch to start and stop said shaft.

2. In a magneto electric dumb bell, a shaft projecting axially through the handle of the dumb bell, a spring motor at one end of the bell for driving said shaft, a magneto generator at the other end of the dumb bell and having its armature directly connected to said shaft, centrifu al means for maintaining a constant speed 0 rotation of said shaft, a clutch, and means projecting through the handle of the dumb bell and operating said clutch, whereby said shaft may be started and stopped.

Intestimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES MOORES.

Witnesses: WILLIAM GEO. HEYs,

, JOHN OCONNELL. 

